How to remove a watch strap: tools and techniques
How to remove a watch strap without scratching the lugs? Full guide with videos: Bergeon 6767F tool, drilled vs solid lugs, Hirsch Quick Release and NATO strap.
Changing a strap always begins with one unavoidable step: removing the one in place. Steel, leather or NATO — the technique differs according to the type of attachment. Done badly, this operation scratches the lugs of your watch or damages the spring bars.
This guide shows how to proceed cleanly, with the right tools, across every common configuration. It includes our own workshop videos.
Before you start, check the lug width of your watch: our watch strap size guide gives the figures for 245 models.
The essential tool: the Bergeon 6767F
First and foremost, you need the right tool. The Bergeon 6767F tool is the professional reference used by watchmakers. Its fine stainless fork reaches the spring bars precisely, even on the tightest lugs — with no risk of slipping or scratching.
It has two different ends:
- Fine fork — for watches with solid lugs: Rolex, Omega, IWC, Tudor, Seiko
- Standard point — for watches with drilled lugs, accessed from the outside
A Swiss-made tool that lasts for years. Essential from the very first strap change.
Video demonstration: the Bergeon 6767F in action
Understanding the two types of attachment
Before removing a strap, identify the type of bar fitted to your watch.
Standard spring bars
This is the most widespread fitting — found on 95% of watches on the market. The bar is a metal rod with an internal spring, housed between the two lugs of the case. It is compressed with a tool to release the strap.
Two sub-types depending on the watch:
- Drilled lugs — a small hole visible on the outside of the lug gives direct access to the tip of the bar. The tool enters from the outside.
- Solid lugs — no visible hole. The tool enters through the inner gap between the strap and the case, then pushes the tip inwards to compress the bar.
Quick Release bars
Some premium straps — notably the Hirsch Quick Release range — include a tool-free removal system. A small tab on the bar retracts it with simple finger pressure. Fast, practical, and with no risk of scratching.
Removing a steel bracelet from a vintage Rolex GMT
The vintage Rolex GMT has drilled lugs — the bars are reached from the outside. This is the simplest configuration, and the one where the Bergeon 6767F excels.
Step by step
- Place the watch face down on a folded microfibre cloth — never directly on a hard surface
- Insert the fine point of the Bergeon 6767F into the outer hole in the lug
- Press gently and under control — the bar compresses and the bracelet slides clear of the lug
- Hold the compression and remove the bracelet on one side
- Repeat on the other side, at 12 o'clock
- Retrieve both spring bars and check their condition
Tip: never force it. A slip is the leading cause of scratches on the lugs.
Removing a strap with the Hirsch Quick Release system
The Quick Release system is the opposite of the previous technique: no tool, no risk of scratching, removal in under ten seconds per side.
Video demonstration: removing and fitting a Hirsch Quick Release strap
How it works
Hirsch Quick Release straps are fitted with spring bars that have a built-in release. A small metal tab at each end of the strap compresses the bar directly with a fingernail — no tool required.
- Turn the watch over to reach the underside of the strap
- Locate the metal tab at the end of the strap, on the lug side
- Pull the tab towards the centre of the strap with your fingernail
- The bar compresses — lift the strap clear of the lug
- Repeat on the other side
The result: a strap change in under thirty seconds, with no risk and no tooling. Ideal if you regularly rotate between several straps.
One caveat: the size must be exact. A 20 mm Quick Release fits only a lug width of precisely 20 mm. The detail is explained in our size guide.
Removing a leather strap
The technique is the same as for a steel bracelet on solid lugs. Leather being more supple, reaching the bar is often easier.
- Place the watch face down on a folded microfibre cloth
- Locate the gap between the strap and the lugs, starting at 6 o'clock
- Insert the fine fork of the Bergeon 6767F into that gap, flat against the inner lug
- Guide the fork towards the tip of the spring bar, the small shoulder visible on the rod
- Press gently — the bar compresses and the strap slides clear
- Hold the compression and remove the strap on one side
- Repeat on the other side
- Retrieve both spring bars
Tip: if the fork slips, reposition it rather than persisting.
Removing a NATO strap
A NATO strap slides off without any tool. The spring bars stay in the lugs — there is no need to remove them if you are fitting another NATO straight away. The change takes a few seconds.
For fitting, see our dedicated guide: how to fit a NATO strap.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using a screwdriver or a knife — flat blades slip easily and scratch the lugs. Only a fine fork gives a secure grip.
- Forcing a seized bar — if it resists, check your position on the tip. Never force it sideways.
- Losing the spring bars — they are small and fall easily. Work on a light-coloured cloth so you can spot them immediately.
- Working without protection — always on microfibre or a watchmaker's cushion, to protect the dial and the case.
- Mixing up bar sizes — the length varies with the lug width. Keep the original bars as a reference.
FAQ — Removing a watch strap
Can a strap be removed without a tool?
On watches with drilled lugs, it is sometimes possible to compress the bar with the tip of a pen — but the risk of slipping and scratching is high. The Bergeon 6767F remains essential for solid lugs: Rolex, Omega, Tudor. Only Quick Release systems allow genuine tool-free removal.
How do I know whether my watch has drilled or solid lugs?
Turn your watch over and look at the lugs in profile. A small hole on the outer side of each lug means drilled lugs. Smooth lugs with no visible opening mean solid lugs. The great majority of recent Rolex, Omega and Tudor watches have solid lugs.
What should I do if the spring bar is seized or rusted?
Do not force it. A seized bar may indicate corrosion or deformation. Take the watch to a watchmaker — forcing it can damage the lugs or the case. Replace the bar afterwards.
Can the original spring bars be reused?
Yes, as long as they are neither deformed nor oxidised. If you change strap regularly, check their condition periodically. They cost a few euros and are available in every standard width.
What spring bar size for my watch?
The length of the bar matches the lug width of your watch: 18, 20, 22 or 24 mm. In the example below, a Rolex measured at 20 mm takes 20 mm bars.
The standard diameter is 1.5 mm on almost every sports and collector's watch. Some vintage models use 1.8 mm. We recommend reinforced 1.8 mm stainless steel bars for added security.
Our products for changing a strap
Bergeon 6767F tool Stainless steel spring bars HIRSCH straps AREZZO straps NATO straps
Going further:
How to choose a watch strap — size guide
How to fit a NATO strap
The history of the NATO strap
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